Flying machine



Dec. 30, 1924.

J. H. REYNOLDS FLYING MACHINE File@ May 22. 1924 ,5/1/ TQQ) 2 Sheet-Sheetl Dec. 30, 1924. 1,521,047

J. H. lREYMDLDS FLYING MACHINE' F'il'ed May 22, 1924 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ec. 39, E924.

VJOHN E. REYNOLDS, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application led Mayv22, 1924. Serial No. 715,084.

To all whom t may concern: t Be it known that I, JOHN citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful 4Improvements in Flying Machines, of Vwhich the following is a specification. g l

My invention relates to a flying machine of the heavier than air type, the principal objects of my invention being to provide a flying machine with fore and aft screw propellers that will be effective in driving the machine in a general horizontal plane and, to provide the machine with a centrally arranged member that is arranged to rotate in a horizontal plane, andsaid member being provided with vanes or wings that are adapted to impinge the air so as to produce a lifting effect and cause the machine to rise in a practically perpendicular path, after the manner of a helicopter, Further objects' of my invention are, to construct the iying machine so that the horizontally rotative member that carries the lifting vanes or wings will perform the functions of a stabilizer while the machine is travelling in a horizontal plane and, in addition, said rotative member` will function as a sustaining plane or parachute, to prevent the machine from dropping or moving downward at a dangerous speed, in the event of failure of the engine or driving mechanism to function properly.

Further objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the 4construction of the existing forms of flying machines; to provide relatively simple and easily manipulated means for guiding or turning the machine laterally during flight; and further, to providea machine that may be easily and cheaply produced and which will bevery effective in performing its intended functions. "f

With'the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my improved flying machine with parts thereof in secton.

Fil .'j2 is a 'horizontal section'taken apoximately on ,the lin'e2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. a topplan view of the horizontall-y rotative member that carries the lifting vanes or wings.

-machine, the same being pointed at both Iends, after the manner of a boat, and said body being open at its top, throughout its entire length. The greater portions of the pointed ends of the body are open at their bottoms and dependingl from the central portion of the body 10 and between the open lower end portions is a cabin or cockpit 11, that contains the power plant, preferably an internal` combustion engine, Athe steering levers and other control mechanisms.

A post 13 projects upwardly from the central portion of the bottom of cabin 11, and arranged for rotation thereon is a sleeve 14, that is driven directly 'from the engine 12, preferably by bevelled pinions 15.

The lower end of this sleeve -is suitably journalled in a step bearing 16, and the intermediate portion of said sleeve is jouri The inner end of shaft 19, which terminates adjacent to sleeve 14 is made square in cross section or provided with a key or feather and arranged for sliding movement upon this portion of said shaft is a bevelled pinion 22 that is adapted to be moved into and out of mesh with a bevelled pinion 23,

that is secured to sleeve 14.

A longitudinally disposed shaft 24, simii,

lar to shaft 19 is mounted to rotate in suitable bearings 25 on the rear portion of body 10, and the outer end of said shaft that projects beyond the rear end of said body car ries a screw propeller 26, -of the type having a plurality of spirally arranged blades.

. Mounted to rotate w1th and slide longi- I tudinally upon the inner end of this shaft 24, is a bevelled pinion 27, that is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with pinion 23.

The driving connections between sleeve 14rotary member 32 may be counteracted by and shafts 19 and 24 enable eithershaft to be driven independently or both shafts tov be driven simultaneously.

Centrally arranged beneath the open end portions of the body 10 are vertically disposed longitudinally extending rudders 28,

Athat are connected near their outer endsl to vertically disposed rudder posts 29. These posts'are journalled in suitable bearings 30 at the ends of body 10 and the upper ends of said posts are provided with suitable cross arms or levers 31 to which may be connected, suitable rudder actuating mechanism.

These 'rudders are located beneath the vopen end portions of the body 10 and saidl vrudders extend'from the ends of said body inwardly to points adjacent to the end walls of` cabin 11. v

Secured tothe upper end of sleeve 14 is a large disc-shaped member 32 having its marginal portion 33 Vcurved downwardly and this said member has the general shape `of an inverted pan or saucer.

of member 32 is a pair of horizontally disposed pla-nes or vanes 36, the members thereof being disposed on opposite sides of the center of said member 32 and said planes being inclined in cross sectionso as to impinge the air and exert lifting effort when member 32is rotated.

In the operation of my improved flying machine, engine or motor 12 is started and through driving connections 15., sleeve 14 and member 32 on the upper end thereof are rotated.

When a certain speed of rotation is attained, the impingement of the under surfaces 'of the inclined vanes 34 and 36 produces a liftingeffect that causes the machine to leave the ground and rise in practically a perpendicular path.

en the machine has reached the desired height, pinions 22 and 27 are thrown into mesh with the bevelled pinion 23 on sleeve 14 and, as a result shafts 14 and 24 carrying the propellers 21 and 26 will be rotated.

The impingement of the blades of the propellers 21 and 26 against the air will drive the machine forwardly and by proper manipulation of the rudders or steering planes 28, the machine may be guided later-I ally during its forward flight. y

Any tendency of the body of the ship to rotate on the vertical axis comprising post 13 and sleeve 14 as a result of the action of proper setting of the rudders 28. Y

vBy proper manipulation of pinions 22 a-nd 27 upon their respective shafts, the operation ofthelatter and their propellers may readily be controlled.

Inasmuch as rotary member 32 has considerable area and is of umbrella or inverted saucer shape, it willl act asa parachute, to prevent the machine from a too sudden descent in the event that the motor, or operating parts of the machine are, from any cause. 'rendered inoperative.

This particular effect is particularly effective, due to thefact that both ends of the bodyy 10 are open, thereby permitting free passage of air upwardly through the ends of the machine into the chamber beneath member 32.

If desired .the underside of cabin 11 may be provided with longitudinally disposed runners 37, and the end portions thereof may be extended upward to4 the end portions of the side Walls ofthe bodyvlO, thereby providing struts or braces 38.

In some instances it maybe found desirable to provide a single propeller shaft to take the place of the two shafts 19 and 24, and when this is done, said single shaft will extend alongside sleeve 14 and suitable driving connections will b e arranged between said shaft and sleeve.

Thus it will be seen that I'have 'provided a relatively simple, practical and easily manipulated flying machine which, in operation, may be caused .to rise from the ground after lthe lmanner of a helicopter and then driven in a substantially horizontal plane and the lifting element of the machine being constructed so that, under certain conditions, it will function as a parachute, thereby giving to the occupants of themachine an added factor of Safety.

It will be understood thatv minor changes inthe size, form and construction of the various partsv of my improved flying machine may be made and substituted for those herein,- ,shown and described without departing'from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a flying machine, a body, longitudinally disposed shafts journalled on said body and projecting beyond the ends thereof, screw propellers on the projecting ends of said shafts, a vertically disposed shaft journalled in the center of said body, an inverted saucer-shaped member carried 'by the upper end of said shaft and inclined vanes arranged on the upper portion of said inverted saucer-shaped member.

2. In a flying machine, a body, longitudinally disposed shafts journalled on said body and projecting beyond the ends there- 11.5 disposed shaft and of, screw propellers on the projecting ends of said shafts, a vertically disposed shaft journalled inthe center of said body, an inverted saucer-shaped' member carried by Tthe upper end of said shaft, inclined vanes l portions of said body in front and to the rear of said cabin, independently operable 'shafts mounted for rotation on said body and projecting beyond the ends thereof, screw propellers on the projecting ends of said shafts, a vertically arran ed shaft mounted for rotation on said bo y, an inverted saucer-shaped member carried by the upper end of said vertically arranged shaft and inclined vanes on the upper side of said saucer-shaped member.

4. In a flying machine, an elongated body having a centrally arranged depending cabin, rudders arranged beneath the end portions of said body in front and to the rear of said'cabin, independently operable shafts mounted for rotation on said body and projecting beyond the ends thereof, screw propellers on the projecting ends of vsaid shafts, a vertically arranged shaft mounted for rotation on said body, an inverted saucer-shaped member carried by the upper. end of Said vertically arranged shaft, inclined vanes on the upper side of said 'saucer-shaped member and means for driving said vertically disposed shaft and driving connections between said vertically disposed shaft and shafts. i

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' JOHN H. REYNOLDS.

the propeller-carrying 

